Concern

[KNERSIE]

All that is good and I agree wholeheartedly, but don't go buying the skinniest bull in a fat cattle bull sale either.

4mm fat is a lot more than my bulls have when they come out of their growth test, we aim for 2mm fat for ultrasound purposes and want an ADG of between 3.5 an 4 lbs, no need to push anymore than that. Taking a bull to a yield grade 4 or higher simply isn't necessary to show what he has, my show string isn't even there at the time of a show.

 

[plumber_greg]

And there you go! How does the condition in a sale affect you, not Dylan, but anyone, personally? Surley as many bulls sold as you have seen, you can tell if one is not the kind, type, raised the way you want etc.. Just don't buy it. I went to a sale Thurs. evening, bought nothing. They had good bulls, but not the type I wanted. I didn't bash all seedstock producers cuz' this breeder didn't agree with my desires of type. Gess what, the effect on me personally was nothing. What difference has it made to anyone if they didn't buy a bull from a particilar place? gs

 

[TexasBred]

Before i run off to Vicoden beddy by a question to everyone.... Am I the only one that is alarmed at the overuse of feed, creep, baylage, anything but grass to raise our cattle...With the price of fuel and of course ethanol cutting into grain stocks , it makes me worry. Also you folks better start praying for some rain here in Texas...this weather is making me remember the 93and 94 drought and that affected prices nationwide. It been fun chatting tonight, fire back I got a thick skin, and of cousre I aint feeling much pain either...lol

Everyone doesn't live in SE Texas or even East Texas. There are parts of the world that requires supplementation, whether it's hay or cubes. Otherwise we'd stillbe eating 1800's beef.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Two types of cattlemen in this country - - ex dairy men and ranchers. They both feed some hay but that is the only similarity.
The ex dairy men usually feed corn silage to beef cows. They can not be making any money at it but they do have big fat cows and calves. Creep feeding used to also be very popular but $6 corn has reduced this. Most run black bulls with some GV or Simi in them, or the super sized "terminal" BA. They may have a bull pen with a bulk bin to keep them shinny.
The ranchers feed grassy hay, and perhaps a little by product. Their cows look OK but they are usually smaller English breeds and that don't wean huge calves. No creep. Most folks still love their black cows but I am seeing more herds with wf calves. The bulls winter on grass hay just like the cows
Everyplace is different, but in our area with marginal soils and long winters - - I think wf cows calving on grass, poultry litter, a very long renovation cycle, some custom made spring balage, forage fed bulls, and some bought in by products, is the profitable system.

 

[Dylan Biggs]

Two types of cattlemen in this country - - ex dairy men and ranchers. They both feed some hay but that is the only similarity.
The ex dairy men usually feed corn silage to beef cows. They can not be making any money at it but they do have big fat cows and calves. Creep feeding used to also be very popular but $6 corn has reduced this. Most run black bulls with some GV or Simi in them, or the super sized "terminal" BA. They may have a bull pen with a bulk bin to keep them shinny.
The ranchers feed grassy hay, and perhaps a little by product. Their cows look OK but they are usually smaller English breeds and that don't wean huge calves. No creep. Most folks still love their black cows but I am seeing more herds with wf calves. The bulls winter on grass hay just like the cows
Everyplace is different, but in our area with marginal soils and long winters - - I think wf cows calving on grass, poultry litter, a very long renovation cycle, some custom made spring balage, forage fed bulls, and some bought in by products, is the profitable system.

The wf cow herd looks like the herd of the future, just try and buy some true F1 baldies.

Good call Stocker Steve.

 

[houstoncutter]

Before i run off to Vicoden beddy by a question to everyone.... Am I the only one that is alarmed at the overuse of feed, creep, baylage, anything but grass to raise our cattle...With the price of fuel and of course ethanol cutting into grain stocks , it makes me worry. Also you folks better start praying for some rain here in Texas...this weather is making me remember the 93and 94 drought and that affected prices nationwide. It been fun chatting tonight, fire back I got a thick skin, and of cousre I aint feeling much pain either...lol

Everyone doesn't live in SE Texas or even East Texas. There are parts of the world that requires supplementation, whether it's hay or cubes. Otherwise we'd stillbe eating 1800's beef.

I fully understand and agree with you TexasBred,.....but ....the reason for this post is that some seedstock producers have changed that formula...Its all supplements and a little grass in the form of hay....with the prices that I am afraid we are going to be paying for supplementation in the future, it think it is smart to be concerned about seedstock that reley so heavily on supplementation.

 

[backhoeboogie]

We're probably going to beat this one to death too.

If people were simply honest and up front about everything, we wouldn't be here in the first place.

Trust is a two way street. It is a shame that I feel like I cannot trust cattlemen any more.

 

[redcowsrule33]

Two types of cattlemen in this country - - ex dairy men and ranchers. They both feed some hay but that is the only similarity.
The ex dairy men usually feed corn silage to beef cows. They can not be making any money at it but they do have big fat cows and calves. Creep feeding used to also be very popular but $6 corn has reduced this. Most run black bulls with some GV or Simi in them, or the super sized "terminal" BA. They may have a bull pen with a bulk bin to keep them shinny.
The ranchers feed grassy hay, and perhaps a little by product. Their cows look OK but they are usually smaller English breeds and that don't wean huge calves. No creep. Most folks still love their black cows but I am seeing more herds with wf calves. The bulls winter on grass hay just like the cows
Everyplace is different, but in our area with marginal soils and long winters - - I think wf cows calving on grass, poultry litter, a very long renovation cycle, some custom made spring balage, forage fed bulls, and some bought in by products, is the profitable system.

Steve, I have to respectfully disagree with you on your view of corn silage. Maybe in your part of MN your soil is poor, but around here one can raise far more tons of corn silage than hay on an acre without significant cost compared to buying hay. In a market that has turned a lot of hayground into corn (and the soil can support it!) if it weren't for silage we would be paying through the nose for that hay. It's another case of what makes sense for your area makes none for ours. Increasing land base here is cost prohibitive, and any land for rent is going for crop money not pasture or hay. As for balage, I wish we had the equipment to do it. Last year we had abundant hay but it was crap because there wasn't enough days to dry it. First chance we had to get it cut dried and baled was July 4. If this year goes the same way we'll be putting first crop up as bagged silage so we can get 2nd crop going.

BTW or herd runs British and Continental purebreds together with commercial crossbreds, no barn, pasture all summer unless it dries up.

Yes, I feel that the way most bulls are pushed do us and them no good, but it's the way people have been conditioned to buy them. If they see bulls raised like the heifers they won't buy them because they don't look like they are two years old at the age of 13 months.

If the way you raise your cows makes you the most profit who cares how you do it as long as your animals are treated well. Just don't buy from someone that raises them differently and you have less chance of being disappointed. End of story.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I have raised corn for grazing, and I have purchased silage when corn did not make grain during a drought, so I know what it costs per lb and per TDN to raise it. I am afraid to calculate how much it costs to feed it and so I sold my SI arrow front wagons to a dairy guy.

I think the root issue is not the total cost of silage, but what class of stock make a profit in your situation? In my area: For cows - - stalks yes, silage no, expensive hay no. For stockers - grazing corn yes, silage no.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Excellent posts. I don't think anyone was off base. I, also, think "some" seedstock producers have bucket fed cattle (using Houston's term) that cannot and will not survive in a normal management program. But, if any individual is in it to produce cattle that will make you a profit AND satisfy your customers so that you have REPEAT business, than you must be doing a good job MANAGING cattle for your area & your buyers.

 

[bigbull338]

i run my reg cattle on grass hay an very little feed.the heifers are raised on grass an only see a little feed when the weather gets real bad.our cows quit eating hay a month ago,an they are nice an fat on the rye grass.but if we dont get a good rain pretty quick we are going tobe in big trouble.an once again people will flood the market selling out.

 

[TexasBred]

i run my reg cattle on grass hay an very little feed.the heifers are raised on grass an only see a little feed when the weather gets real bad.our cows quit eating hay a month ago,an they are nice an fat on the rye grass.but if we dont get a good rain pretty quick we are going tobe in big trouble.an once again people will flood the market selling out.

Might be a good time to ride around in the country looking for short grass and thin cattle. Might find some bargains.

 

[backhoeboogie]

i run my reg cattle on grass hay an very little feed.the heifers are raised on grass an only see a little feed when the weather gets real bad.our cows quit eating hay a month ago,an they are nice an fat on the rye grass.but if we dont get a good rain pretty quick we are going tobe in big trouble.an once again people will flood the market selling out.

Might be a good time to ride around in the country looking for short grass and thin cattle. Might find some bargains.

Put the pump in the river and buy those cheap cows! With the price of fuel, maybe I ought to get a windmill instead. We've had plenty of wind.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

We're probably going to beat this one to death too.

If people were simply honest and up front about everything, we wouldn't be here in the first place.

Trust is a two way street. It is a shame that I feel like I cannot trust cattlemen any more.

trust em to do what??? personally i like BS'n on here,, and got no reason to lie .. but i aint gonna reveal my SS number to anybody

 

[TexasBred]

i run my reg cattle on grass hay an very little feed.the heifers are raised on grass an only see a little feed when the weather gets real bad.our cows quit eating hay a month ago,an they are nice an fat on the rye grass.but if we dont get a good rain pretty quick we are going tobe in big trouble.an once again people will flood the market selling out.

Might be a good time to ride around in the country looking for short grass and thin cattle. Might find some bargains.

Put the pump in the river and buy those cheap cows! With the price of fuel, maybe I ought to get a windmill instead. We've had plenty of wind.

Wife's decorative windmill about flew over the house Sunday. lol

 

[houstoncutter]

i run my reg cattle on grass hay an very little feed.the heifers are raised on grass an only see a little feed when the weather gets real bad.our cows quit eating hay a month ago,an they are nice an fat on the rye grass.but if we dont get a good rain pretty quick we are going tobe in big trouble.an once again people will flood the market selling out.[/quo


Just remember Big Bull you can take the cows from the coast and go west in Texas, but you better be real careful about trying it the other way.. Some of us have tried it, been there, got the t-shirt and dont want to go back. :tiphat: